1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to toilet bowls and specifically to an attachment for toilet bowls to improve flushability and save on the amount of water required for flushing. The invention includes such improvement toilet bowls in the form of the attachment integrally molded into toilet bowls to obtain the foregoing ends.
It is known that a considerable amount of water is used each time that a toilet is flushed. It is desirable that the toilet be able to flush as soon as possible and to fully clean out the bowl. This invention concerns an addition to the toilet bowl as well as improved toilet bowl design which serves to deflect the swirling water downwardly towards the drain outlet, shortening the time required to obtain a flush, and decreasing the amount of necessary water required to obtain a full flush of the toilet bowl.
In the past it has been considered that the more water stored in the water closet or toilet the more complete the flushing action. It is well known, however, that often there is a considerable amount of time before a toilet flushes, even though a large amount of water has been added to the bowl without establishing a flushing action. Older toilets use up to four cubic feet of water. More modern toilets have water tanks holding approximately two cubic feet of water. Thus, up to five to six gallons of water are being utilized for each flush of conventional modern toilets. Toilets are commonly designed to have one or more inlet conduits in the side of the rim or under the rim of the circular bowl area and directed so as to provide a generally swirling pattern in the bowl of the water coming from the storage tank. The intent is to keep the interior of the bowl generally clean, providing a more sanitary interior bowl.
2. Prior Art
It is known in the prior art, particularly in U.S. Pat. No. 4,050,101 Logue, to place a permanent baffle on the inclined front interior wall of the toilet bowl to terminate or reduce the swirling action of the water and direct the water down towards the exit conduit so as to generally save water. This also envisions a permanently located baffle. In this case, the baffle is cemented with a water insoluble cement and results in a saving of forty to fifty percent of water.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,723,887 Wehr a flat deflector plate which extends downwardly from the peripheral rim to direct water toward the outlet and reduce the quantity of water required in flushing is disclosed. The edge of the plate is shaped complementary to the toilet bowl wall.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,050,101 Logue shows a baffle for a toilet bowl comprising a curved baffle which is positioned below the normal water level for swirling water directly into the outlet conduit. The purpose in this case is to save water.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,689,353 Schuster a water closet is disclosed having a beam running longitudinally across the toilet bowl at just about the water line to prevent splashing when the toilet is being used. There is no discussion of the function of causing turbulence or directing water down to the exit conduit.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,121,940 Wolff is of background interest to demonstrate the utilization of baffles in toilet bowl arrangements to generate a turbulence to enhance cleansing during flushing.